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OUL WINNING 

IN THE 

SUNDAY SCHOOL 

BY REVc OMSR B, POULSON 




Class 

Book 

Copyright^ 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



SOUL WINNING IN 
THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL 



I SOUL WINNING 

in the : : : ? 

I SUNDAY-SCHOOL 1 

Rev. O. B. POULSON 




Publishing House of the 
UNITED EVANGELICAL CHURCH 

201-209 North Second St. 
Harrisburg, Pa. 






Copyright, 1911, by 
REV. 0. B. POULSON 



^CLA327143 



INTRODUCTION 

In All her years of matchless suc- 
cess, the Sunday-school never looked 
out upon fields more -white for har- 
vest than today. Never was there a 
time when her possibilities were 
greater or her. means for accomplish- 
ing results more perfected. Seldom 
indeed has any institution or organi- 
zation faced a future so inviting, so 
promising as that which confronts 
modern Sunday-school. Her field is 
the world. Her workers the best and 
noblest of the redeemed. Her oppor- 
tunities are boundless. Her responsi- 
bilities truly great. 

But success sometimes is embar- 
rassing. Great opportunities for vic- 
tory carry with them great opportuni- 
ties for defeat. In the present day for- 
ward movement toward a more thor- 
ough organization and increased ef- 
fort along all lines of Sunday-school 
work, it is to be feared that many 
5 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

mistake increased attendance, better 
equipment, large offerings, etc., for 
real success. A moment's calm, seri- 
ous reflection will convince us that 
none of these are the " pearl of great 
price" we labor to win. In hope sin- 
cere that the highest aim of the Sun- 
day-school — the complete redemption 
of the individual pupil — may be 
brought to bear more heavily upon 
the willing minds and loving hearts 
of those who today compose the 
mighty hosts of workers in the Sun- 
day-school, the following chapters 
have been written. 

It is not intended that this volume 
shall in any way interfere with teach- 
ers and other Sunday-school workers 
pursuing a regular course in training 
for their work. Bather it is hoped 
that some may be inspired to attempt 
a more thorough training for efficient 
service in this great field. Above all 
it is hoped that many will be inspired 
to leave behind all formalism that may 
have existed in the past and loyally 
enter into the greatest opportunity 
for service that the Sunday-school af- 
6 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

fords — the leading of others, young 
and old, to find salvation through be- 
lieving in and accepting Christ as a 
personal Saviour. 

When our Sunday-schools shall all 
awaken to their responsibility and 
opportunity for soul winning and soul 
saving; when officers and teachers 
shall recognize the fact that the Sun- 
day-school 's one greatest of all rea- 
sons for existence is to lead each pu- 
pil, young and old, to give his or her 
heart to God and become followers of 
the meek and lowly Christ; when the 
individual pupils shall not only be 
taught about Christ and His dealings 
with mankind, but shall be led to be- 
come willing and obedient workers for 
Christ; then shall the Sunday-school 
have reached its mountain top of effi- 
ciency and many of the perishing mul- 
titudes shall be brought back to the 
foot of the cross. 

The Atjthob. 



TABLE OF CONTENTS 

1. The Joy of Soul Winning, 11 

2. The Bright Side op Sunday- 

School Work, 18 

3. The Need of Deeper Earnestness, 30 

4. Laboring to Keep the Soul Alive, 52 

5. Let Us Go Up and Possess the 

Land, 63 

6. Combined Effort, 72 

7. Temptations Peculiar to Sunday- 

School Workers, 85 

8. Christ the Ideal Teacher, 106 



Soul Winning in the Sun- 
day School 

CHAPTER 1. 

The Joy of Soul Winning. 

HOW to bring a benighted, sin- 
cursed world back to the foot of 
the cross is the supreme problem of 
our age. For the accomplishment 
of this sublime end civilization has 
builded her churches, erected her col- 
leges, marshalled her hosts of believ- 
ing christians, and sacrificed freely, 
upon the altar of service, the lives of 
the saints. Slowly but steadily the 
kingdom of righteousness has ad- 
vanced. Down through the ages ig- 
norance, bloodshed and oppression 
have slowly been replaced by learn- 
ing, freedom and justice. Yet today, 
even in the civilized nations of the 
world, horrid crimes are still commit- 
ted ; dens of vice still abound and sin, 
11 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

in a thousand shapes and forms, con- 
fronts ns on well-nigh every hand. 
Shall these institutions of crime still 
live ? Shall dens of vice still nourish ! 
Shall sin, in its myriad forms, con- 
tinue to blot our fair land unchecked ! 
The Christian men and women every- 
where answer No! And are willing 
to give time and means to back up 
their answer. Whole armies of Chris- 
tian students in our colleges are an- 
swering No! And are willing to de- 
vote their life's richest blood to back 
up their answer. An aroused citizen- 
ship, from North to South, from East 
to West, are just beginning to answer 
No! 

And why this protest? Why this 
determined stand — more determined 
today than ever before? Is it not 
that we are learning to more fully ap- 
preciate the importance of the indi- 
vidual? To more clearly grasp the 
worth of a soul? In Old Testament 
history the nation was the center of 
thought. In the New Testament his- 
tory the individual is of supreme im- 
portance. In the centuries past, 
12 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

armies and races of men were sold 
and enslaved. Now in every land, 
men of every race have obtained the 
rights of freedom. Formerly the na- 
tion, all too often, existed for the good 
and profit of its ruling powers. Now 
governments exist for the good of 
their citizenship. Thus we see that 
there has been a steady decrease in 
the importance and power of the 
many, and a corresponding increase 
in the prominence and authority of 
the individual. This has been of last- 
ing benefit to humanity. Many, in- 
deed most, of the barbarous practices 
of past centuries have been wiped out. 
The remaining curses that blight and 
destroy, are trembling in their places, 
while peace and plenty rapidly take 
the place of crime and poverty. 

The gradual uplift of the common 
people and the steady advancement 
of modern civilization is largely due 
to the work of Christianity. Wher- 
ever the Bible has gone, the night- 
shades have retreated and the day- 
dawn has appeared. Wherever the 
gospel of salvation from sin has been 
13 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

faithfully proclaimed, the blessings 
of freedom have been manifested. 
Wherever the people have welcomed 
the Christian faith, there the homes 
and hearts of the people rejoice. 

How large a place the individual 
occupies ; of how much importance he 
is in the sight of heaven, the outside 
world has little appreciated. But 
with the individual, Christianity had 
its beginning and upon the individual 
its responsibilities still rest. Again it 
was not for any nation or race that 
our Saviour died. Eather it was for 
each and for all that he paid the price 
of redemption on the cruel cross. 

Jesus asked in substance, "What 
is the worth of a soul?" And men 
have been hording their jewels and 
counting their wealth from that day 
to this; still the world does not and 
has not produced the price of a soul ! 
The Old World may bring her price- 
less wealth and the New World may 
well-nigh match it in bulk ; the islands 
of the sea may pour out their treas- 
ures ; still it will all weigh light in the 
balance with a soul! 
14 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

We may not have placed so much 
value upon the individual as all this. 
But drop from the New Testament 
the life and writings of St. Paul and 
then begin to calculate the soul's pos- 
sible worth. Drop from the pages of 
American history the name of Wash- 
ington, or Lincoln, or Garfield, or 
McKinley and then study the worth 
of an individual. Or drop from your 
own life a father's devotion, or a 
mother's love and then consider the 
importance of the individual. It may 
not move us much to see the man in 
the gutter. But what if that man was 
your father! It may not pain our 
hearts much to hear of the young life 
that went astray. But what if that 
young woman was your sister? It 
may not move us much to contemplate 
the vast throng that is so rapidly 
moving on toward ruin. But how is 
it if one or more members of your 
own home is in that company? 

James tells us "that he which con- 

verteth the sinner from the error of 

his way shall save a soul from death, 

and shall hide a multitude of sins." 

15 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

Here then we see that the soul win- 
ner's joy is a double joy. He shall 
first of all save a precious soul from 
the pains and torment of death and, 
what is just as comforting, he shall 
cover a multitude of sins. It were 
sad enough if the sinner alone had to 
suffer the just reward of his guilt. 
But the shame is increased many fold 
if the multitude of sins are not hid- 
den, but go on blighting and ruining 
other lives who in turn shall leave 
their dreadful mark upon succeeding 
generations ! Where then shall we 
lay the emphasis? Upon the joy of 
"Saving a soul from death" or upon 
the supreme importance of "Hiding 
a multitude of sins?" 

In the succeeding chapters we have 
earnestly endeavored to uphold the 
work of the modern Sunday-school in 
its efforts to reach out after young 
and old, rich and poor, at home and 
abroad. We have tried to point out 
the doors that are wide open for soul 
saving and soul culture in almost 
every community and we have also 
endeavored to indicate the dangers 
16 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

and temptations which so constantly 
hinder the Sunday-school's highest 
aims. 

Heaven's crown will be a thousand 
crowns to ns, if by God's assisting 
grace, we have known the joy of lead- 
ing souls to the foot of the cross here, 
on this side of eternity. The pearly 
gates will open wide to receive us if 
we are faithful to our trust, but the 
extent of our joy within these gates 
depends so much upon our usefulness 
here ! 0, the joy that fills and thrills 
the life that is ever adding new stars 
in its crown — ever gathering jewels 
for heavenly wear. Brother, Sister, 
in the Sunday-school cause, is that 
joy yours? 



17 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

CHAPTER 2. 

The Bright Side of Sunday-school 
Work. 

TV/TORE than a century and a quar- 
^**- ter has fled away since the first 
Sunday-school organization made its 
appearance on the eastern hemisphere. 
In that brief space of time, its sacred 
influence has well-nigh encircled the 
globe; has found its way into nearly 
every Christian denomination, as a 
recognized part of church effort; has 
proven its efficiency by marvelous re- 
sults, both as an educational force 
and as a mighty factor in the redemp- 
tion of the lost. 

Like the bright, dancing sunbeam 
that penetrates farther and farther 
into the dark corners of earth, driv- 
ing out gloom and darkness and bring- 
ing in their stead health and light, so 
has the Sunday-school movement 
spread its sacred influence farther 
and farther, penetrating huts and 
hovels, as well as grand churches and 
cathedrals, until today there are few 
18 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

other Christian agencies that make 
any attempt at a comparison with 
the modern Sunday-school movement. 
In this, as in all other move- 
ments, there are drawbacks, discour- 
agements, failures. But it is not our 
purpose to speak of these at this 
time, but rather we shall try to stick 
to the " bright side" of the question 
and speak of the encouragements, the 
successes, the clean-cut victories that 
have attended this noble work. That 
we might clearly discuss the subject 
before us, we shall speak of the Sun- 
day school, 

I. As a mighty teaching agency; 
II. As a harmonizing force ; and 
III. As an efficient agency of rescue. 

As a Teaching Agency. Evangeli- 
cal churches are laying great stress 
upon a thorough study of the Bible; 
emphasizing the importance of a thor- 
ough knowledge not only of the Bible 
facts, but of Bible Geograph, Bible 
History and Bible institutions as 
well. But where and hoiv is this Bible 
19 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

knowledge to be secured? Shall we 
expect to pursue such a course of 
study as this would require in our 
public schools? No; the law forbids 
it. Shall we expect parents in the 
home to try at least to supply this 
much needed training? Alas! In 
how few of our homes are the Scrip- 
tures daily read! 

Year by year, the fact grows clearer 
to Protestant Christianity that we 
must look to the Sunday-school for 
proper study of the Bible. Where 
the public school fails, where parents 
neglect, the Sunday-school must step 
in and see that God's holy Word is 
properly taught. We shall welcome 
the day when all our public schools 
shall be closed for at least a half day 
each week and the pupils dismissed to 
a suitable place for religious instruc- 
tion under proper leadership. We 
shall also welcome the glad day when 
more family altars are erected 
throughout the land, and when the 
sacred Word is studied and respected 
within the family circle. But until 
that day shall come, the Sunday- 
20 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

school must take the child and teach 
him God. 

In the beginning of the Sunday- 
school movement, those who had in 
charge the teaching of the children, 
were paid for their services. But to- 
day, with almost an army of faithful, 
earnest teachers giving time and ef- 
fort to this noble work, their services 
are rendered entirely gratuitous. It 
has often been suggested and even 
advocated that our Sunday-school 
teachers should be paid for their 
services. This may be wise, but we 
are led to believe that work done for 
God prompted solely by a love for 
the work, will be better done and will 
yield more fruit of the desirable kind, 
than work done for lucre. 

As a Harmonizing Force. History 
tells us that, in the days gone by, 
many people were clanish; standing 
by the family name with all the zeal 
and brutality of a hardened warrior. 
Again, the time is not long past when 
there existed the bitterest hatred be- 
tween many of the nations of earth. 
Eeligious denominations also had 
21 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

their difficulties and sometimes they 
were almost as ardent in the hatred 
they bore toward each other as they 
were in their hatred of sin. Bnt this 
state of affairs is greatly changed, 
and there is the brightest kind of 
prospects for a still greater change 
for the better in the days ahead. 
Many agencies have contributed to 
the bringing about of this happy state 
of affairs, but not the least among 
these agencies has been the almost 
worldwide effort put forth by the 
Sunday-school. 

Those who have been so fortunate 
as to have attended one or more of 
the International or World's Sun- 
day-school conventions, have spoken, 
in the most hopeful manner, of the 
apparently complete loss of national- 
ity and denominationalism. It is in- 
deed a soul-inspiring sight to find the 
world's best Christian workers — for- 
getful of nationality and creed — vie- 
ing with each other in the discussions 
of modern Sunday-school and Mis- 
sionary problems. 

Christianity is greatly indebted to 
22 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

the Sunday-school for the part it has 
played in bringing 1 together earnest 
and well equipped workers in all de- 
nominations and helping them to 
unite in one common effort for Christ 
and the spread of his kingdom, in- 
stead of differing over doctrines and 
creeds. 

No one will question but that it is 
wise that our family names be differ- 
ent. There are enough of Smiths, 
and Jones' and Browns, and we are 
satisfied to have our name different, 
if it happens to be different. Just so 
are we learning to treat the national 
and denominational question, and no 
agency has tended more to bring this 
about than the modern Sunday-school 
movement. 

As An Agency of Rescue. Marion 
Laurence, in his estimable book en- 
titled "How to Conduct a Sunday 
School,' ' gives, as one of the objects 
for the existence of the Sunday- 
school, this valuable reason: "To 
lead the pupil to give his or her heart 
to Christ." Perhaps not all have 
recognized this as the greatest of all 
23 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

reasons for the existence of the Sun- 
day-school. Indeed how sadly trne it 
is that all too many, whose hearts are 
not in the work, have simply thought 
of so many questions to ask; so large 
an attendance to secure; so large an 
offering to gather in. how often 
teachers forget that each individual 
pupil needs a baptism of God's sav- 
ing grace! If in any way Sunday- 
school teachers could be thoroughly 
impressed with the fact that they are 
responsible to a very marked degree, 
for the souls of their pupils, surely 
greater zeal would be manifested for 
their salvation. 

Notwithstanding this apparent 
shortcoming on the part of some Sun- 
day-school workers, there are yet 
many happy features of the work that 
lead the pupil upward in his thoughts 
and many hearts are won for Christ 
and his Church through this agency. 
For example, the adult department, 
since its organization, has done as 
much or more than any other organi- 
zation to put into practice both the 
letter and spirit of the " Andrew 
24 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

Plan," and in the last few years has 
won hosts of men and women for the 
cause of Christ. Indeed in every de- 
partment of the school, systematic 
and commendable schemes are put 
into operation regularly that have, as 
their sole object, the salvation of the 
lost. 

It would be unfair, in a work like 
this, not to mention the special effort 
that is being made to take better care 
of the spiritual needs of the children 
in the elementary grades of our 
schools. We have long conceded that 
the child belongs to heaven if it 
dies; we are just learning, some of 
us, to do our utmost to keep it within 
and save it for the Church, if it lives. 
Not less time for revival and rescue 
of the old, but far more time for 
guarding and guiding our youths, is 
the plea on every hand today. 

While we are discussing the 
"bright side" of Sunday-school work, 
it will not be out of place to call at- 
tention to the remarkable popularity 
of the modern Sunday-school move- 
movement. This may be accounted 
25 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

for in different ways. Perhaps the 
very bigness the movement has at- 
tained has much to do with creating 
so favorable a sentiment in its favor. 
Numbers, in Sunday-school statisti- 
cal tables, are getting to be immense, 
whether they relate to money or mem- 
bership. 

Again there are so many phases of 
Sunday-school work, each of which 
has been entirely successful in the 
past, that persons of almost every 
calling and with widely differing in- 
clinations, can find a field where lab- 
orers are always needed and where 
there are abundant prospects of rich 
reward. 

If we were to attempt to give de- 
tailed accomplishments, we should 
have to unnecessarily wear on pa- 
tience. Some particular phases of 
the work, however, deserve mention. 
More and more the Sunday-school 
looms up before us a missionary 
power in the world. Withdraw its or- 
ganizations and offerings from the 
present day missionary activities and 
you deal that noble cause a stagger- 
26 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

ing blow. Again, it is a mighty Tem- 
perance organization. There is little 
doubt but that the determined stand 
the Sunday-school has always taken 
on the liquor question, has had much 
to do with the present day Temper- 
ance sentiment. And what other 
might we expect? Think of the 
mighty armies of Sunday-school 
teachers and workers, that at least 
four times each year, have stood be- 
fore their classes and done their best 
to instil into the minds and hearts of 
young and old, a hatred for this 
mighty evil that is cursing our homes. 
Remember also that this teaching has 
been going on for years and that 
hosts of our men of today are begin- 
ning to put into practice that which 
they were taught in the Sunday- 
school, from the time of their earliest 
recollection. 

What a social and literary power 
the Sunday-school has come to be! 
Always awake to the demands for 
proper recognition of the social needs 
of both young and old, the most un- 
tiring efforts are continually put 
27 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

forth to anticipate and thoroughly 
provide for such needs as they arise. 
Hence we have the best orchestra 
that can be gathered from the school ; 
the best song-books that can be pro- 
vided; lively social meetings of the 
classes at frequent intervals together 
with the annual picnic, the base-ball 
nines for the boys; the numerous 
guilds and clubs for the young ladies 
and girls and then comes the Organ- 
ized Adult Bible Class, with all its 
blessings, for the men and women. 
Greater stress is being laid con- 
stantly upon the reading matter that 
falls into the hands of the pupils. 
Many schools have tried with vary- 
ing success, the establishing of Sun- 
day-schools libraries. We see no 
reason why this phase of the work 
should not be pushed, for boys and 
girls particularly will read and how 
important it is that good, clean books 
be their companions. 

While the Sunday-school remains 

active along all these lines of work, 

and the many other lines of effort not 

here mentioned, it is bound to attract 

28 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

and interest the masses of the people. 
It will continued to be a blessing to 
youth and age alike in furnishing a 
cheerful and inexpensive institution 
for the imparting of scriptural knowl- 
edge. It will continue to be a bless- 
ing to the outcast and the unclean by 
teaching them of the purer life and 
the fountain of cleansing. It will 
ever be a blessing to the benighted 
of earth, for it not only will continue 
to teach a missionary gospel, but will 
send both consecrated workers and in- 
creasingly larger financial contribu- 
tions to all parts of the mission fields. 
Again let us say that there are 
drawbacks, hinderances and sore dis- 
couragements which must be continu- 
ally faced and of some of these we 
shall speak later on; but taking the 
Sunday-school problem as a whole 
and considering its successes as com- 
pared with its failures, we must own 
that its attainments, so far, have sim- 
ply been marvelous. The mighty 
hand of a living Christ who gave com- 
mandment to his disciples "Go ye, 
into all the world, and preach the gos- 
29 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

pel to every creature,'' has been glor- 
iously manifested in this noble work 
which bids fair to continue in ever 
widening circles of influence and use- 
fulness until "The kingdoms of this 
world are become the kingdoms of 
our Lord, and of his Ghrist; and he 
shall reign for ever and ever." 



CHAPTER 3. 

The Need of Deeper Earnestness. 

IN the preceding chapter we spoke 
of the existence of discourage- 
ments and drawbacks in connection 
with Sunday-school work. For any 
of us to presume to discover all of 
these and to attempt suggestions for 
a permanent remedy, would be folly. 
There are existing conditions and 
hinderances today that may prove 
their real mission tomorrow, and that 
mission may be entirely for good. 

If you were to ask a company of 
experienced Sunday-school workers 
what they considered to be the great- 
30 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

est obstacle in the way of the Sun- 
day-school today, in the attempts be- 
ing made to fully accomplish its aims, 
perhaps various reasons would be 
given. No doubt different persons 
have encountered many different 
hinderances that seriously obstruct 
their path of duty, in this line of 
work. But if the chief aim of the 
Sunday-school and prime reason for 
its existence be, to lead the pupil to 
give his or her heart to God, as was 
stated in the preceding chapter, then 
we must conclude, from existing con- 
ditions, that the need of deeper earn- 
estness for the salvation of each pu- 
pil in the school, is, at present the 
greatest discouraging feature of the 
Sunday-school problem. Is this not 
true? Look at the vast army of Sun- 
day-school workers today and con- 
jecture, if you can, what portion of 
that army are passionately in earnest 
for the salvation of souls! How 
many teachers really stop to think 
that we fail — miserably fail — if none 
are won for Christ under our teach- 
ing! We trifle, we sham, we blun- 
31 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

der, — many of us, — with our eyes and 
ears and hearts closed to the real and 
fundamental purpose of our calling. 
how serious is this barrier to com- 
plete success! How difficult are the 
mountains to ascend when they, who 
are set for guides, are themselves 
blind and know not the way. 

Perhaps this serious hinderance 
does not make itself felt to such a 
marked degree as would other diffi- 
culties, such as a scarcity of teachers 
or failure to secure proper persons to 
manage the school. But a school may 
be well organized; may have a very 
popular corps of officers and teach- 
ers and have every class supplied 
with substitute teachers, and still the 
entire school be a failure, so far as 
reaching the hearts of the pupils and 
leading them to Christ is concerned. 

It has been the writer 's privilege to 
visit a number of Sunday-schools, 
both in rural districts and in towns 
and cities, and that in different 
states. In the rural schools espe- 
cially, where the prayer-meetings and 
young peopled societies are so often 
32 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

neglected, young and old alike enjoy 
the Sunday- school sessions. 

We have been deeply impressed 
with the eagerness to know more of 
God's Word, almost universally 
manifested in these schools. How 
often we have seen a class of adults 
sit during the entire study period 
waiting for some crumb to fall that 
would be to them, real food. Some 
times the teacher has been wise enough 
to make preparation for this precious 
half-hour, in which case the class 
period is usually very enjoyable. 
Sometimes the " cares of this life and 
deceitfulness of riches' ' have crowd- 
ed out all possibility of preparation 
on the part of the teacher, in which 
case the class must sit and hear the 
questions, printed in the lesson helps 
read by one who can not usually an- 
swer the half of them intelligently, 
and many of which are not the ques- 
tions that will best call out the 
thoughts and attract the attention of 
that particular class half so well as 
plain, simple, pointed questions of 
the teacher's own suggestion. 
33 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

Of this we may all rest assured, 
that where any degree of intelligence 
is manifested in the presentation of 
the lessons, good fruit will surely fol- 
low. Who can measure the good that 
has been accomplished by the thou- 
sands of little country Sunday- 
schools, conducted perhaps in a little 
country school house or small country 
church where existence is often 
a struggle! How many of our 
ministers and missionaries today 
were boys and girls in some little, al- 
most secluded Sabbath-school yester- 
day! I shall never forget the impres- 
sion of a test made at one of the most 
important conferences held during 
the World's Sixth Sunday School 
Convention, at Washington, D. C, in 
1910. The 0. A. B. C. work of the 
Sunday-school was under discussion 
and old Mt. Vernon Methodist Epis- 
copal Church (South) was well filled. 
The speaker chanced to state in the 
course of his remarks, that he was 
raised in the country and knew some- 
thing about country Sunday-school 
work. He then asked what part of the 
34 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

entire audience either now lived in 
the country, or, like himself, had lived 
there until maturity. Perhaps it 
would not be safe to venture an 
estimate as to how many hands went 
up, but there were enough to make 
the speaker say, "Well, we sympa- 
thize with the rest of you." 

The influence of proper religious 
teaching upon the lives and useful- 
ness of young men and young women 
in the rural districts is usually very 
marked. I recall to mind a little 
mission Sunday-school that was con- 
ducted in the small public school 
building in a mining settlement. It 
was my good fortune to attend the 
sessions of that school frequently for 
nearly a year. The miners were 
nearly all of foreign birth and in- 
clined to Roman Catholicism. Little, 
of course, could be done to reach the 
older people, but little difficulty was 
encountered in geting the young peo- 
ple and children in to the school. 

An aged and honorable citizen, of 
near that locality and who was thor- 
oughly conversant with the work of 
35 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

the school, told me that before the 
Sunday-school was established in that 
little mining town, one could scarce 
be persuaded that any attempt was 
made to respect even the Sabbath 
day. Card-playing, cock-fighting and 
drinking were indulged in quite 
openly, while the children ran about 
the settlement in the same clothing 
as was worn on other days. But 
when the Sunday-school was opened, 
all was changed. Card-playing was 
seldom indulged in openly, on the 
Lord's day, cock-fighting was dis- 
pensed with and the children were 
dressed in the neatest, most attractive 
dresses and suits, and the entire place 
took on quite a different air. Well 
we knew that few of the older people 
could be won for Christ, but the lives 
and characters of the children were 
surely being transformed into the im- 
age of the Divine. 

"What was experienced in that little 
mining town, is the keynote of the 
work being done in thousands of 
rural schools, where the lives of both 
young and old, are being molded and 
36 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

fashioned, change to "usually" slowly 
and quietly, into vessels chosen of 
God and fitted for his service. 

If the work of the Sunday-school 
in the rural sections of the country 
has been attended with no uncertain 
results, so has the work in the towns 
and cities been no less abundantly 
fruitful. When we consider how 
many from the poorer homes of our 
cities and towns, are brought under 
the sacred teaching and influence of 
the scriptures; how many who are 
previously disposed to lives of shame- 
ful wickedness are reached and held 
back from such living ; how many out- 
casts from society are rescued and 
saved for Christ, all by faithful, con- 
secrated Sunday-school workers, we 
lift our voices in profound gratitude 
for such noble work, to Him who has 
said, " Inasmuch as ye have done it 
unto the least of these my brethren, ye 
have done it unto me." 

One has only to visit the regular 

session of a modern Sunday-school in 

any of our cities, to be convinced of 

the vast amount of provisions made 

37 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

for successful Sunday-school effort. 
After a careful survey of surround- 
ings, one is deeply impressed with evi- 
dences of time, talent and finances 
lavished upon the school. The or- 
chestra is grand. The singing is in- 
spiring. The leadership and skill 
manifested throughout the entire 
building is well-nigh perfect. An in- 
quiry into methods and results in the 
departments, from the Little Begin- 
ners to the 0. A. B. Classes or the 
Beserves, will usually reveal some of 
the most faithful and consecrated ef- 
fort that can be imagined. Surely we 
will not complain; will not criticize 
the work accomplished, the sacrifices 
made. Bather, we are proud of the 
present day attainments, thankful for 
results accomplished, and optomistic 
in our hopes for the future. 

But notwithstanding that good, 
earnest and successful work is being 
accomplished in both rural and city 
schools, there yet remains the propo- 
sition, how much greater would be 
the good results if a spirit of deeper 
38 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

earnestness for the salvation of every 
pupil, was manifested? 

You have frequently attended the 
class session, perhaps in different 
schools, and have listened attentively 
to the teaching of the entire lesson, 
yet yon did not hear, even once, any 
application of the lesson to the spir- 
itual needs of the class. This is not 
the case with every Sunday-school 
class. Some are much more fortu- 
nate, for, in many schools, there are 
some at least who really teach with a 
view to bringing about the conversion 
of each individual member of the 
class. Then, when a decision is se- 
cured, their teaching is aimed to help 
the pupil to fight the battles he or she 
must fight and to live the kind of life 
he or she so much desires to live. 

That you may know, more clearly, 
the kind of work that is sometimes 
gone through with in our schools, the 
following incident is here related. In 
a certain Sunday-school Convention, 
recently held near the writer's home, 
the story was told of a Sunday-school 
superintendent who asked one of the 
39 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

members of his school to teach a cer- 
tain class at one of the regular ses- 
sions of the school, the regular teacher 
being absent. The person asked re- 
plied that he had not made prepara- 
tion to teach a class, and feared that 
he could not do either the lesson or 
the class justice. To this objection 
the superintendent replied, "0, well, 
bluff it!" No doubt this is an ex- 
treme case; but that which this 
thoughtless, purposeless superintend- 
ent actually advised, is what is all 
too often practiced by hosts of unpre- 
pared teachers in far too many 
schools. 

Precious, immortal souls can not 
"be bluffed " into the kingdom of 
heaven. It usually takes the pro- 
foundest wisdom, the most fervent 
prayers and ceaseless, untiring per- 
sonal work to reach and bring to 
Christ a precious soul. 

Perhaps you do not agree to the 
proposition that the need of deeper 
earnestness for the salvation of each, 
individual pupil, is the greatest hin- 
derance to the entire success of the 
40 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

Sunday-school today. If you do not, 
may I call your attention to a condi- 
tion that has long existed in the ma- 
jority of schools, and we shall leave 
you to judge for yourself as to what 
has been the cause of such a condi- 
tion. Have you not, dear reader, in 
your Sunday-school, persons who are 
young men or young women now, who 
came to the school when they were 
small enough to be placed in the Be- 
giners ' Department ; they have grown 
up in the school; they have passed 
through every department in the 
school, and are now in the adult 
classes. Yet, in all the years they 
have been in your school you never 
heard their voice in prayer! 

They have never been called upon 
to pray! They have never made any 
public decision for Christ; indeed 
they seem to be farther from making 
such decision than they have ever 
been in all their lives ! They may be 
fathers or mothers in their own homes 
now, and are not saved. W-H-Y? 

They came to the Sabbath-school to 
be led. Somebody failed to hold their 
41 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

hand. They looked to the school to 
furnish proper signals for the run 
through life. Somebody blundered; 
somebody slept. They only needed a 
bit of love; somebody's heart was 
cold. A time there was when a word, 
a touch, a look, would have won them ; 
somebody's hands are stained! A 
mother 's life might have been sweeter 
now, who will answer, or who is to 
blame ? 

I pray you do not evade this mat- 
ter. Dare to face it and settle it right. 
If you have ever stood as a teacher 
before a class in Sunday-school or are 
now occupying that sacred and honor- 
able position, you will surely have 
need to look well at your hands that 
they be not stained. Your daily care 
will be, "Have I delivered my own 
soul!" 

It seems to me that it could be 
made difficult, very difficult indeed, 
for boys and girls to have their names 
placed on our Cradle Eolls when they 
are born, come to the school when 
they are three or four years of age, 
remain in the school until young man- 
42 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

hood and young womanhood, and then 
go out into life to live lives of wick- 
edness — lives of open shame. To 
make it difficult for such to be the 
case, surely this one thing we need — 
deeper earnestness. 

Our graded lesson system presumes 
that when the Little Beginner comes 
to the school, it will earnestly be 
taught about God our heavenly Father 
and Christ, his loving Son; God's 
love and loving care, even for little 
boys and girls. When they are Pri- 
mary pupils, they are to be taught to 
each have a personal love for this 
dear Father and his precious Son. 
They are to be taught to honor his 
Spirit — God's presence with us every 
day watching us in all we do. At the 
Junior period they should have made 
their personal decision for Christ. 
Listen, my dear Junior teachers, if 
you have had boys and girls under 
your teaching for three or four years, 
and your sole aim in all your teach- 
ing has been to lead them to Christ 
and into his service, and those boys 
and girls have passed on out of your 
43 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

department into some other, entirely 
beyond your reach now, yet unde- 
cided, where, where is the blame! 

Some may object to early decisions 
as we have found. Even parents op- 
pose their children coming "too early, 
too young' ' into the Church. But if 
the child dies, they and we believe 
that it belongs to heaven. If it 
chances to live, why should it ever be 
treated as though it belonged to the 
world? No, childhood, with all its 
innocence and purity, belongs to 
God's kingdom on earth just as much 
as to his kingdom in heaven. Christ 
sets them in the midst of his Church. 
They are the purest members within 
its pale. They do not belong to Satan. 
Then teach them, I pray you, to al- 
ways love God, and early — quite early 
— publicly confess their trust and 
faith in Him. 

But should the Juniors fail to 
make a definite decision while in that 
department, and should pass on into 
the Intermediate or Senior classes, 
they are not beyond hope of redemp- 
tion. There is still a golden oppor- 
44 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

trinity to grasp them as brands from 
the burning, and save them for Christ 
and his service. 

Have you ever assisted in arrang- 
ing a programme for a Sunday-school 
convention? If so, have you noticed 
how frequently some one suggests the 
topic "What to do with the hoys 1 ' or 
kindred subjects! — meaning, we pre- 
sume, those boys from the age of ten 
or twelve to the age of sixteen or 
even older. We have all discovered 
that the "Boy problem" is not an 
easy one. It is a very difficult one for 
the teacher who makes no prepara- 
tion to win his or her class's attention 
and interest and hold them during 
the entire session. Yet this is the 
age when boys and girls most seri- 
ously need a teacher to hold and help 
them. Their habits formed now will 
be lasting ones and hard to break. 

If we were to offer suggestions for 
teachers of boys and girls, we would 
certainly say, the first thing to do is 
to take a course in Teacher Training, 
emphasizing that part of the course 
that deals particularly with the 
45 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 



"teen" period. There is little ex- 
cuse for teachers in the Sunday-school 
of today, being ignorant of the Book 
of books or of the methods best suited 
to present it to any age of pupils. 
Every publishing house owned by 
evangelical Churches today handles 
inexpensive books that deal entirely 
with the Teacher Training question. 
Denominations have their prescribed 
courses of study and the different 
states have paid employees who in- 
struct, by mail, entirely free of charge, 
any who desire to pursue study along 
this line. 

Again we would say, read every 
book you can get hold of that deals 
with "Boy Problem ,, or the "Girl 
in Her Teens. ' ' There are many such 
books, most of which contain valua- 
ble information. Then we should 
learn to know our pupils; love them, 
and if you should find that you do not 
love even the worst boy or girl in the 
class, step aside, if you have made 
every possible effort to love them 
and find that you have failed, and let 
someone who can love and sympa- 
46 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

thize with the entire class take the 
place. 

It usually takes love — passionate 
love — the kind that will sometimes 
moisten the cheeks with tears while 
you are praying for the members of 
your class, one by one, to solve those 
hard, perplexing problems that you 
have often met but perhaps did not 
always solve. You must remember 
that, as it is in all work for God, so 
it is particularly in the Sunday- 
school. We may be channels or we 
may be barriers — chanels through 
which abundant floods of God's love 
shall flow to others, bringing joy su- 
preme to them and to our hearts as 
well, or barriers that hinder the floods 
of God's love, blighting many a life 
and turning our own lives into lives 
of shame and awful responsibility. 

Boys and girls, in the "teen" age 
are very desirous of having their 
teacher show an interest in them. 
Especially during the stages of early 
and middle adolescence do they need 
your friendship and tenderest council. 
All things considered, it is usually 
47 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

best that young men of maturity, or 
older men, should teach boys, and 
ladies of mature age should teach 
girls. 

At this stage of life, boys are in- 
clined to be bashful, awkward, some- 
times very timid. They are at a 
point where life to them is more of a 
romance than a reality. If left to 
themselves, dangerously low and 
often melancholy views of life, fix 
upon them that blight and dwarf for 
all time. for a single hour of com- 
mon sense advice! Some father to 
come to the rescue; some friend to 
make the way plain; some teacher — 
why not? — to point out the true man- 
liness of life, to tell that boy what it 
is to be a self-respecting, virtuous 
gentleman! Teachers, we have been 
running away, just when we were 
most needed. 

If boys have their difficulties that 
must be solved, just so surely do 
those girls before you — bright, intelli- 
gent, hopeful as they are — need your 
tenderest care and loving council. 
Mothers sometimes neglect. Girls are 
48 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

not always free with each other. 
Will you not, dear teacher, see your 
girls or have them spoken to at this 
vitally important time, and tell them 
something about true womanhood, 
something of a wealth of virtue that 
they alone can defend? Can you af- 
ford to neglect to do so ? If you could 
but prevent a single life from walk- 
ing the valley of shame, would it not 
be worth while? 

We have seen that it is worth our 
while to be exceedingly careful and 
sincere in our dealings with child- 
hood and youth. Let us now empha- 
size the fact that work in the Adult 
department should be made to bring 
results. In this department comes 
the busy man, from the mines, the 
factory, the railroad or the farm. 
Trifling with the Word will not 
satisfy. He can not be "bluffed' ' 
through the lesson. Chaff will not 
satisfy. He demands and expects 
that you will give him the true meat 
of the gospel. If you want to drive 
him away from the class, do not let 
on you notice that he is present or do 
49 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

not speak to him when the class is 
dismissed. If you want to hold him, 
grip him and show him that you are 
interested in him. 

In this department you will find 
also the factory girl, the clerk from 
the store, the stenographer and the 
mother from the home. Each have 
their needs, their trials, and their 
temptations. We must notice each, 
plan for each and not rest content un- 
til we have done our best, our very 
best, to satisfy the demands of each. 

Shall we say that too many of us 
have been playing with precious op- 
portunities? Shall we own that 
many, many a precious soul has come 
to us, remained long with us and then 
went away from our grasp still un- 
saved, largely because we were sim- 
ply trifling? If this be the case, great 
is our reason for deep humility. 
"The wicked man shall die in his 
iniquity, but his blood will I require 
at thine hand." Ezek. 3-18. 

Since the organization of the 0. A. 
B. C. department in the Sunday- 
school system, we have gone forward 
50 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

by leaps and bounds in the work of 
systematically planning and laboring 
to reach men and women who, before, 
had been entirely neglected. In the 
brief period that this department has 
existed, it has proven its worth a 
thousand times over in those schools 
where it has been given a reasonable 
trial. From every state and county 
we are hearing of the accomplish- 
ments of this organized, Andrew 
Plan of doing things for others. 

But until all our schools in every 
land shall have reached the highest 
standard of efficient service in reach- 
ing and holding old and young alike, 
let us sound forth the plea for deeper 
earnestness for the salvation of the 
perishing throngs about us. Let 
there be a passionate longing, a burn- 
ing zeal for the salvation of souls and 
we will find the windows of heaven 
wide open to give blessings, more 
than we may now be ready to re- 
ceive. 



51 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

CHAPTEE 4. 

Laboring to Keep the Soul Alive. 

\X7HAT a vast amount of work is 
" done to keep these bodies of 
ours alive! What a host of people 
are laboring every day for our com- 
fort ! The busy farmer who provides 
our wheat, our corn, our potatoes, our 
butter and eggs and the many other 
products of his farm. The miners, 
who furnish us with coal, or bring to 
the markets our silver, gold, lead, 
copper, etc. The railroad men who 
build the roads, dig the tunnels, throw 
bridges over streams, run the trains 
and make up our passenger crews. 
And these are not all who labor to 
keep alive the body and bring it com- 
fort. There are the busines men, the 
commercial class, the physician, the 
nurse and the many other clases of 
people who contribute some little 
share in the great plan of providing 
for our bodies, either for their neces- 
sities and their comforts or for the 
luxuries. 

52 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

But since the soul is of so much 
greater value than our bodies can 
ever be, ought we not labor more zeal- 
ously to provide for proper soul 
growth and soul comfort than for 
mere bodily comfort? He who gave 
the farmer his crops; who placed the 
ore, centuries ago, in the mines; He 
who taught us the road to heaven and 
who is our great Physician, He it is 
who has had men at work all through 
the ages, preparing and preserving 
for us a storehouse of Spiritual food 
— God's holy Word. There is in this 
precious volume the " finest of the 
wheat' ' and the "oil of gladness"; 
there are minerals that are precious 
indeed, — far more precious than sil- 
ver or gold. There are abundant 
stores of good counsel that teach us 
of the "high- way of holiness" and 
the way to walk there in. If the Sun- 
day-school has one grand mission on 
the earth, it certainly is to find these 
granaries of spiritual food, these 
mines of spiritual wealth, these charts 
and guides for weary travelers, ana 
to show each individual pupil the 
53 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

abundant spiritual wealth God has 
placed at our disposal. 

We are then face to face with the 
problem of finding the spiritual food 
in the lesson and wisely setting it be- 
fore the class. Is the lesson complete 
when you have answered all the ques- 
tions in the lesson helps, if you use 
these questions? Is it complete when 
the class pretty thoroughly under- 
stand the teachings of the lesson; can 
tell you the time, place, characters, 
events, etc.? No, there is yet the 
spiritual truth that can best be pre- 
sented, to be found and the personal 
application to be made. Time and 
effort spent upon this phase of the 
work will be repaid. Both in the 
preparation of the lesson and in its 
presentation, it pays big dividends to 
make sure that we adopt as our stand- 
ard the spiritual valuables in the les- 
son, and not merely the intellectual or 
the historical. 

But how many there are who fail 

to seek out carefully the spiritual food 

in the lesson and intelligently present 

it or set it before the class. All 

54 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

honor to the throng of earnest, de- 
voted, spirit-filled teachers who are 
honestly endeavoring to give to the 
lesson and to their pupils at least a 
square deal. But what about the many 
who are not earnest; who are not 
devoted; who are not spirit-filled, 
and yet occupying a teacher's place? 

The question is often asked, should 
unconverted persons be asked or ex- 
pected to teach a class in the Sunday- 
school? Wise men have answered em- 
phatically, "No." Before an annual 
convention of Sunday-school work- 
ers, a prominent educator gave the 
same answer, then answered the 
question more fully by adding, ' ' How 
shall teachers teach that which they 
themselves do not know? Can the 
blind lead the blind? Are not both 
gravely in danger of falling into the 
ditch V 

Let us now ask what there is in a 
Sunday-school leson or series of les- 
sons, that makes it impossible for the 
unregenrated to become successful 
and consistent Sunday-school teach- 
ers? It is not the historical nature, 
55 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

or the grammatical construction, or 
geographical hinderances in the Bible 
text that bar them. An atheist may 
be well versed in all these lines of re- 
search and may successfully teach 
the Bible, from any of these stand- 
points, but none, save the redeemed 
alone, can reasonably be expected to 
wisely handle the Word of God so 
that the spiritual food contained 
therein shall not be wasted or ruth- 
lessly trampled under foot. We must 
then conclude that it is nothing more 
nor less than the spiritual nature of 
the lessons that makes it imperative 
that spirit-filled teachers, and these 
alone, teach the Word. 

I can almost hear many a superin- 
tendent saying it is not the simplest 
task in the world to find teachers who 
can and will teach the lesson as it 
should be taught. Many a superin- 
tendent, I know, has had to make use 
of very inferior teachers simply be- 
cause there was none better to be 
had. Sometimes this is unavoidably 
the case, but even then classes had 
better be combined under a few good 
56 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

teachers, than to have them taught 
even partly by one who may seriously 
hinder them, rather than help them. 

But sometimes the scarcity of 
teachers arises by the allowing of 
good, well-qualified material virtually 
to go to waste. I well remember enter- 
ing a certain Sunday-school and lis- 
tening to the superintendent's com- 
plaint about the need of teachers for 
certain classes, while at the same 
moment there sat at the secretary's 
desk a bright, intelligent and popular 
young lady, — just the kind of a 
teacher, in fact, as that superintend- 
ent so much needed. 

It does not take long to answer this 
question: "Is it good judgment to 
elect as secretaries, librarians, etc., 
those whose time must be devoted to 
the duties of their office during most 
of the session, if they are capable of 
teaching intelligently, when a scar- 
city of teachers exists! It is wise, 
not only in the business world, to look 
well into the doctrine of conservation, 
but in the fields of Christian effort 
as well. 

57 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

The soul must be kept alive or it 
certainly will die. It must be kept 
growing, or it will waste away. 
Therefor it must be fed. It must 
have drink from refreshing streams, 
not stagnant pools. It will need, more- 
over, healthy exercise that it may live 
and grow. Here is the teacher's 
great problem. What to do and how 
to do it, to keep each pupil in a 
healthy, growing spiritual condition, 
— laboring to keep precious souls 
alive. how much of God's loving 
help will be needed constantly that 
his work be not slovenly done. 

If all teachers make even an honest 
effort to just do their best, no matter 
how little that might be, to intelli- 
gently instruct in the Sunday-school, 
there would be little or no excuse for 
the writing of such a chapter as this. 
I wish here to relate an incident that 
occurred in one of our city Sunday- 
schools connected with one of the 
largest churches in the city. A class 
of young ladies had assembled at 
their usual place of meeting for scrip- 
tural and spiritual instruction in the 
58 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

Sunday-school. When the time for 
class stndy arrived, an elegantly 
dressed lady took the place provided 
for the class teacher. After carefully 
arranging her silken gowns and at- 
tending to other "preliminaries", she 
began her instruction by saying 
"Well, dear ( !) girls, I hope not one 
of you have looked at your lessons, — 
Vm sure I have not!" The reply 
from each member of the class was 
that they had not, except one young 
lady who said that she had looked at 
the lesson, but had entirely forgotten 
what it was about. 

It is not hard to estimate how much 
real, genuine spiritual instruction 
that class of young ladies received at 
the hands of their "elect" teacher. 
Surely their food was as scarce as 
was that of the poor, hungry, starv- 
ing Prodigal who sickened of husks 
and longed for the father 's house and 
a father's bread. 

If there was nothing better than 

husks for our Sunday-school pupils 

to feed upon, it would be pity indeed. 

But the pity today lies not in the fact 

59 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

that there is not food enough and to 
spare in the Father's house, but in 
the fact that so many will try to feed 
innocent childhood, blooming youth, 
tired — weary manhood and woman- 
hood, upon nothing better than husks. 
"True it is, 'tis pity; and pity it is 
'tis true." 

In the mad rush of things in the 
business and social world about us, 
there is the greatest kind of need that 
Christian workers be ever on the 
guard. Customs, styles, "crazes" 
and the worldly tides in general, pull 
and tug at the average bark with 
such vehemence, that it is sometimes 
marvelous to find the anchor holding 
firm to the rock. With each succeed- 
ing year we are learning that we must 
labor and even sacrifice for the work 
of Christ, if the perishing throngs are 
to be won. Not only the business and 
commercial world call today for hon- 
est, qualified laborers who can be 
trusted. The Christian Church lifts 
up a mighty cry for earnest, conse- 
crated, soul-filled workers who can be 
trusted. We see the business world 
60 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

prosper, the commercial world ad- 
vance its interests, while all too often 
the cry of the Chnrch is unheeded. 
There is, however, this consolation. 
Some, yes many, are coming np to the 
help of the Lord, and are finding in 
the Master's harvest fields the golden 
sheaves onr Lord has called ns to 
glean. Every year finds an increas- 
ingly larger force of true workers en- 
tering into earth's harvest fields and 
particulraly in the Sunday-school 
world is this the case. Her hosts 
swell by leaps and hounds. Her ac- 
complishments more and more prove 
the worth of untiring effort put forth 
solely in behalf of others, while great 
men and women of today count it an 
honor to be identified with such suc- 
cessful and Christ-like labors. 

In all our successes and in our dis- 
couragements, we need ever to re- 
member that the battle the Sunday- 
school is waging is not a sham fight. 
When trained armies are engaged in 
such a fight, it is perfectly natural to 
hear people speaking about, dress, 
beauty, show, or perfect step, gallant 
61 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

horsemanship, and "big crowds/ ' 
But in a real fight all these things are 
forgotten. It is then either victory 
or death. Little else indeed is thought 
of. So it should ever be in Sunday- 
school work. It is not a sham fight. 
The fight the Christian warrior wages 
today is an awful reality. It began 
in Eden. It has been waged through- 
out the centuries and will be waged 
until the beginning of the Millennium. 
A loving, merciful Lord labors 
with us, shares our joys and bears 
our sorrows. If we have ever been 
so careless as to think that we can 
sham in our service for Him, let us 
heed Paul's advice "Let the times 
past suffice us" and henceforth let us 
be too noble, too brave to do ought 
but press on "for the prize" which 
is promised only to those who win in 
the race set before us. 



62 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

CHAPTEE 5. 

Let us Go Up and Possess the Land. 

'ITT'HEN Israel tarried in their 
** camp at Paran (Num. 13-3) 
spies were sent across the Jordan "To 
spy out the land of Canaan." They 
were commanded to "See the land", 
whether it be good or bad ; to acquaint 
themselves with the people and see 
whether they be strong or weak, few 
or many; to visit the cities and see 
whether they be tents or strong holds, 
and to carefully examine and bring 
back to Israel of the fruit of the land. 
After forty days the twelve men of 
Israel returned to make report. It is 
noticeable that all agree in saying, 
"We came unto the land whither thou 
sentest us, and surely it floweth with 
milk and honey; and this is the fruit 
of it. ' ' But how differently things look 
to a man who leaves God out of the 
question than they do to those 
who dare to trust Him. All of the 
twelve saw that the land was very 
63 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

good and desirable, bu\t beyond that, 
ten of them saw only walled cities, 
great giants, /'the sons of Anak" — 
"And we were in onr own sight as 
grasshoppers", they declare. Yet 
two have a truthful report to give. 
Two have not left the Almighty out 
of the question. In the language of 
St. Paul, we can almost hear them 
saying, "If God be for us, who can be 
against us?" These two — Joshua 
and Caleb — endeavor to calm the peo- 
ple and with true courage and un- 
flinching faith in God, say unto them 
"Let us go up at once and possess it 
(the land), for we are well able to 
overcome it." 

But mark how their report is re- 
ceived. When Joshua and Caleb had 
made an end of their appeal to Israel, 
* ' all the congregation bade stone them 
with stones", while, thinking only of 
the evil reports brought back by the 
ten, they cry out "Would God that we 
had died in the land of Egypt" or 
"Would God that we had died in this 
wilderness." Think of Israel, whom 
Jehovah had so highly favored, mur- 
64 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

muring against God! Think of the 
awful consequences that follow their 
murmuring ! The Lord spake to Moses 
saying "How long will this people 
provoke me ? And how long will it be 
e 'er they believe me V 9 "I will smite 
them with the pestilence and disen- 
herit them." Moses pleads with God 
to be merciful and to remember his 
covenant. God heard his cry and 
showed mercy, but he declared unto 
Israel, ' ' Ye shall bear your iniquities, 
even forty years." For each day 
that Israel had spied out the land, 
"They must bear their iniquities a 
year/' Hear God's sentence "After 
the number of the days in which ye 
searched the land, even forty days, 
each day for a year, shall ye bear 
your iniquities, even forty years, and 
ye shall know my breach of promise." 
(Numb. 14-34). 

What are we to learn from all the 
foregoing! Surely that God has 
plans for his people; that His ways 
are best; that they who honor Him 
shall be preserved even as he pre- 
served Joshua and Caleb; that they 
65 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

who murmur and doubt and refuse to 
obey Him, who see only defeat and 
death before them because they have 
listened to evil reports, shall surely 
suffer the just reward of their sins. 

"Each day for a year!" let it 
burn in our hearts! We doubt, we 
hesitate, we grow discouraged and 
give up when God has said, "Go up 
and possess the land." Listen! If 
we murmur an hour, what if God 
leaves us to suffer forty hours? If 
we doubt or delay for a day, what if 
God shall say "forty days shall thy 
soul be in darkness !" There are 
enough who both bring to us and are 
ready to listen to, the evil reports of 
today. How sorely we need the faith 
that filled the heart of Joshua and 
Caleb — the faith that dares to ad- 
vance when God speaks! This is the 
faith that shall overcome the world. 

In the Sunday-school movement 
many of us are just getting out of 
our wilderness state. But our Ca- 
naan is surely near at hand. For 
forty years — more or less — how much 
wondering about in God's great Sun- 
66 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

day-school world we have done. 
Sometimes almost loosing our hold 
on God; many a time mnrmnring 
against His will. We have numbered 
our hosts, counted our lucre, sub- 
sisted on God's heaven-sent manna, 
but that is not all. Thousands of our 
hosts have fallen at our side. Other 
thousands have turned back to bond- 
age, while the idols of gold and snares 
of pleasure have terribly thinned 
our ranks. We have seen from sixty 
to seventy-five per cent, of our youths 
desert our ranks in their teens and 
we have been powerless to prevent it. 
We have watched Satan gather 
throngs of men and boys in to his sa- 
loons ,boll-rooms, gambling hells, etc., 
while all too often the church serv- 
ices have been miserably attended. 

But the Lord of hosts has spoken. 
The mighty God of Jacob has clearly 
indicated to us our future possessions, 
and now, even now he bids us "rise 
and go over this Jordan and possess 
the land." What are we to possess? 
Not walled cities or vine clad moun- 
tains. Not broad acres of fertile soil. 
67 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

No not any earthly possessions; bnt 
the hearts and lives of the masses 
about ns ; the richer than earthly soil 
that is to be broken by God's love, 
watered by his mercy and planted 
with the finest of the wheat. The liv- 
ing soil from which, when the Eeaper 
divine thrusts in His sickle, there 
shall be gathered treasures, better far 
better than silver or gold. These are 
some of our possessions that lie still 
ahead. Shall we falter or tarry be- 
cause of evil reports or doubts or dif- 
ficulties that are hard to overcome? 
Or shall we lay hold upon the eternal 
God and march on? 

"When God 's all seeing wisdom first 
put it into the hearts of the early 
Sunday-school workers to take up 
this noble work, our ranks were com- 
posed of children — mere boys and 
girls, mostly unlettered and poverty- 
stricken. They were, as a rule the 
children of the oppressed whose daily 
grind of toil was heavy enough to 
bear. As of old the voice of God 
seemed to say "I have seen the afflic- 
tion of my people" and the great I 
68 



Soal Winning in the Sunday School 

am began to call together his hosts 
for the conquest of the world. 
Through the past century we have 
seen the ranks advance. We have be- 
held the seas part asunder; the foun- 
tains burst forth in the deserts, the 
heavenly manna rained down upon 
well nigh every nation. We have seen 
great leaders rise and fall — men who 
have had their vision of God in some 
burning bush, who have tarried with 
him on some Sinai's mountain 
heights, but who today sleep in some 
Nebo's resting place. 

But what of today? What are 
now our present attainments — our 
future hopes ? The answer could per- 
haps best be given in the language of 
the inscription on the monument that 
marks the final resting place of the 
body of Rev. John Wesley, at City 
Roads Chapel, Eng. ' * God buries His 
Workers, but His Work goes on." 

Surely we have reached our Jordan 
in this our conquest to win the world 
for Christ. Just now, as never be- 
fore, the voice of God bids us "Be 
Strong and of a good courage. As I 
69 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

was with Moses, so I will be with 
thee; I will not fail thee nor forsake 
thee." See! The hosts are already 
breaking camp. The mighty leaders 
of today have been passing among 
the people, heralding onr great 
Leader's command, "Go Ye into all 
the world." 

"With faith that can not know de- 
feat, the walls of Jerico will be sur- 
rounded. Seven days and seven 
times, if need be, her walls shall be 
encompassed. But already we can 
see those walls crumbling to the earth. 
Her inhabitants put to the sword and 
the blood stained banner of the Cross 
raised in triumph o'er her ruins. 

But you ask, are there no dangers 
of defeat? Is there even a possibility 
that we may yet fail and come short 
of the victory! Yes, if we begin to 
count our hosts and forget God. If 
we, Achan like, sell our lives for gold ; 
then surely our enemies shall triumph 
over us. But so long as we look upon 
God as mightier than the mightiest 
and upon his best gift to us — his well 
beloved Son — as more precious than 
70 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

all the gems of earth, we shall never 
know defeat. Still we shall hear him 
say, "Lo I am with you alway, even 
unto the end." 

O! God's Sunday-school army; 
hear this warning so forcefully 
brought to American Christians by 
one who, years ago, was rescued from 
a heathen home in the Orient and 
saved for Christ's kingdom on earth. 
"Christian America, the world is 
watching you. The world is praying 
for you. Learning will not save you. 
Did it save Grace? Invention and 
skill will not save you. Did it save 
Athens? Wealth nor power will not 
save you. Did it save Borne? 
America! America! If you want to 
abide and not fall as did Nineveh and 
and Egypt, Babylon and Greece, 
Athens and Eome, hold high your 
Bible!" Well might God's workers 
in all the world heed this warning — 
this plea from the lips of a brand 
plucked from the Oriental burning — 
"hold high your Bible!" 

Israel's history is before us. We 
have her triumphs to guide us and 
71 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

her defeats to warn us. The same 
God that overshadowed her by day 
and that was to her a pillar of fire by 
night, is still our refuge. The 
Mighty One who fought her battles 
for her, who saved her from her foes, 
is our Captain. The Christ that was 
sent to seek her lost sheep, is with us 
yet and beneath the sign of the Cross, 
his hosts are steadily advancing to 
take the world for God. 



CHAPTEE 6. 
Combined Effort. 

TT is an old, old saying, "In union 
-*■ there is strength.' ' Men of the 
world have long ago learned the truth 
of this saying and have earnestly 
sought to profit by it. Think of a 
general attempting the capture of a 
stronghold with his army divided and 
unmanageable! Think of one battle- 
ship drawing up before the enemy's 
fort, making the best attack it possibly 
could, then retiring and letting an- 
72 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

other ship try its hand in the game! 
Even in this world 's wars men of both 
the army and the navy have proved a 
thousand times over the advantage of 
combined and concerted movements, 
both in attack and in defence. 

The politicians of the country 
would not dare to count on the least 
hopes of victory should they enter 
upon a campaign with forces divided 
— some favoring one thing and some 
working for the opposite thing. In 
business the great combines have been 
able to do almost anything, fair or 
unfair, that they have chosen to do. 
Stocks have been inflated, competi- 
tion driven from the field, and prices 
maintained beyond all reason, in 
many cases, simply because men of 
business saw the advantage of com- 
bining to bring results. 

It is just this union of effort — this 
"all ready — heave ho" spirit that is 
helping the Sunday-school to win its 
way in the world, even against the 
most trying obstacles, in a more suc- 
cessful manner than ever before. In- 
stead of division and disconcerted ac- 
73 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

tion, individuals are linking hands 
and accomplishing results as a conse- 
crated body that could not have been 
accomplished by the individual. 

The Sunday-school gets run down, 
interest is well nigh lost, the attend- 
ance is miserably poor. What shall 
be done? Some one suggests a Teach- 
ers Meetings. It is done. Forces are 
combined, plans for the upbuilding of 
the school are wisely laid, prayer is 
offered for the heavenly Father's 
guidance, all set to work, not to beat- 
ing the air, but to striking all at once 
and for the same result. Of course 
the school is revived. Interest is 
aroused, and the attendance marvel- 
ously increased. 

Again there are so many schools 
that have had trouble to get their men 
and women to attend the Sunday- 
school and take some active part. 
But many, yes thousands, of those 
schools have found a remedy for this 
evil. As might be expected it is an 
organization of forces; a concentra- 
tion and centralizing of effort. The 
movement is known almost the world 
74 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

over as the 0. A. B. C. movement. 
What this department of effort has 
accomplished in the past less than a 
decade, is simply marvelous. Classes 
that were uninteresting and poorly at- 
tended, have become famous since 
they were organized for definite pur- 
poses. Hundreds of new classes have 
been formed, and have gained promi- 
nence in less time even than it takes 
to build a Western town. Churches 
that were spiritually dead have been 
fired with zeal and, best of all, thou- 
sands of men and boys who formerly 
took no part in religious work, are 
now comfortably folded within the 
Sunday-school and how often it has 
been proven that it is only a step into 
the Church. Pastors, superintend- 
ents, and Sunday-school workers on 
almost every hand are lauding the ad- 
vent of the 0. A. B. C. in the Church 
of their choice, and unanimously 
crown it as the most efficient depart- 
ment of church organization for the 
reaching out after the lost and stray- 
ing and bringing them safely within 
the fold. 

75 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

The combining of effort is most ad- 
mirably provided for in the system of 
grading followed ont in most Sunday- 
schools. This is best seen in the ob- 
servance of some special day, such as 
Decision Day. "Where this day has 
been wisely planned for, all the seed 
sowing in the former departments 
should now ripen and bear frnit, — . 
should yield a rich and blessed har- 
vest. It will be clearly manifested 
that the various departments have 
not existed for themselves; neither 
are they an end in themselves but a 
means to an end. The loving remem- 
berance of the babes on the Cradle 
Eoll, the patient work among the Lit- 
tle Beginners and the wise, untiring 
efforts with the Primaries have been 
but the laying of a strong foundation 
on which the Junior should now be 
able to begin the erection of his or 
her own structure of faith, love, and 
obedience. 

It is a great pleasure and a sacred 
joy to witness the observance of De- 
cision Day, if it has been wisely plan- 
ned for. It is not one person's job. 
76 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

Neither is it the work of a day, but 
of months and years. The pastor is, 
or should be, all aflame with interest 
in this most important occasion. He 
has looked forward to it through the 
year and has prayed earnestly, both 
in public and private, for the precious 
youths whose lives are concerned. 
The superintendent is interested. In- 
deed, deeply so. He has been watch- 
ing and guiding the seed sowing for 
months. What will the harvest be? 
Teachers will be interested. Intense- 
ly so. Not only present teachers, but 
those who have sown the seed in other 
departments. Each have earnestly 
sought to lead the child to the feet 
of Jesus. Will it now own Him and 
confess Him as its Christ! Parents 
too will be interested. Yes, anxiously 
so. No matter what their religious 
condition may be, they most earnestly 
desire that their child shall do the 
right. Best of all Christ is inter- 
ested. A loving, yearning interest is 
his. He values the worth of youth 
so very much. He longs to claim 
such precious jewels as his own. 
77 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

Before the appointed Decision Day- 
arrives a combination of forces is ef- 
fected. Pastor, superintendent, and 
teachers meet for council. The throne 
of grace is petitioned and the guid- 
ance of the Holy Spirit is sought. 
Parents are then consulted and their 
wishes known wherever possible. 
Not unfrequently the teachers meet 
their classes at an appointed time be- 
fore the day of decision, distribute 
and explain the decision cards and 
both pray with and advise their pu- 
pils. 

When the all important day arrives 
there should be no unnecessary com- 
motion or excitement, but rather a 
spirit of quietness and earnest ex- 
pectation about the whole building. 
If the lesson is studied, the period 
should be short. Wisest of soul win- 
ners have pleaded that the entire 
hour be devoted to the business in 
hand. 

When all else has been attended to 
and the time for decisions has come, 
there should be a moment of quiet- 
ness — a sacred hush — all over the 
78 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

school. Then the superintendent or 
some suitable person suggested by 
him, should lead in a short prayer for 
guidance and courage. Following 
this the pastor should explain to the 
school as briefly as possible the pur- 
pose of the occasion and then press 
the invitation for decisions. 

If the preparation for the occasion 
has been well managed, most of those 
who expect to sign cards will already 
have done so. It now remains for the 
public decision to be made. It is not 
enough that the teachers gather the 
signed cards and hand them in. By 
all means the persons desiring to 
make a decision should be invited to 
stand while their cards are collected, 
or, better, still, step to the front of 
the school and present their cards to 
the pastor or superintendent, and 
then kneel or bow there while prayer 
is offered particularly for them. One 
of the most impressive sights this 
side of glory is to see a pure, Chris- 
tian teacher going with her pupils 
among whom she has long worked 
and for whom she has so often pray- 
79 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

ed, while they present their decision 
cards at the altar of the church and 
then kneeling with them there while 
prayer is offered. It gives courage 
to the young if their teacher goes 
with them and her earnest prayer as 
she kneels with them at the altar will 
be most impressive. Xot that these 
Junior boys and girls know all about 
conviction, repentance, confession, re- 
generation, acceptance, etc. Xo, not 
that. But they do know that Jesus 
loves them and that He wants them 
to love Him. Their experience may 
not be so bright and distinct as the 
adult, who for many years walked 
the paths of sin before owning and 
accepting Christ. But the chances 
are that their faith and trust in 
Christ as a personal Redeemer will 
be equally as clear as that of the 
average adult who accepts Christ in 
mature years. More than this, their 
consciousness of an ever-present 
Saviour and their simplicity in prayer 
will often shame the experience of 
many who do not yield until later 
years. 

80 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

Of course we realize that these 
Juniors are but lambs and that they 
will have to have the most patient 
care if they are to grow strong and 
mature in Christ's service. Just as 
the natural man had to first have his 
years of helpless childhood before he 
could have his years of maturity and 
strength, so must these precious 
youths have time to grow. As adults 
I sometimes fear that we expect the 
youth who has decided for Christ to 
live like a saint, forgetting that we, 
who after years of Christian experi- 
ence, still have our short comings. 

Those schools that have been so 
fortunate as to have consecrated lead- 
ership and have honestly set about 
to make the very best of Decision Day 
have found this plan of conserving 
their best wealth — the "life" of the 
youth — both wise and profitable. May 
we not hope that an increasingly larger 
percentage of our , schools will thus 
combine and center their efforts and 
thus save to the school and the 
Church many that otherwise would 
not be reached. In the name of Him 
81 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

who has said, "Suffer little children 
to come unto me and forbid them 
not", let us earnestly endeavor so to 
do. 

The same degree of satisfaction 
and success attained by concentrated 
effort on Decision Day can and should 
be attained on all other occasions, if 
properly managed. Not only on spe- 
cial days, such as Easter, Children 'a 
Day, Christmas, etc., should we pull 
together for a definite purpose, but 
in every way possible throughout the 
entire year. 

There are many ways in which 
united efforts have, in the past, been 
instrumental in bringing about social 
reforms and religious awakenings on 
a large scale. By first uniting and 
organizing the men in each Sunday- 
school in a town or city and then form- 
ing a federation of such organized 
classes, flagrant evils have been 
crushed, towns and cities cleared of 
all saloons and great religious awak- 
enings launched and carried to suc- 
cessful conclusions. 

Perhaps the interdenominational 
82 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

organization of Sunday-schools fur- 
nishes us one of the very best ex- 
amples of the wisdom of strong com- 
binations in attempting large under- 
takings in the teaching of God's holy 
Word. With organizations covering 
districts, counties, states and nations 
a vast amount of good is accomplish- 
ed that could scarce be accomplished 
in any other way. Also the depart- 
ments of effort already launched by 
the various denominations, when 
backed up by such a strong organiza- 
tion, become far more potent for good. 
Many a time good causes that were 
undertaken by some denomination, 
would have suffered defeat had not 
new life been injected into the scheme 
by the powerful interdenominational 
organizations. I am safe in saying 
that a very large percent of the Sun- 
day-schools of our land that are keep- 
ing abreast of the times and are meas- 
uring up to their possibilities for use- 
fulness, owe their advancement very 
largely to the strong county and state 
organizations. Pastors, superintend- 
ents, and delegates attending the vari- 
83 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

cms conventions, get awake to the pos- 
sibilities of today and go home to pnt 
into practice that which they have 
learned in their annual gatherings. 

"We have, however, only entered the 
field. There are so many battles 
ahead, so many perplexing problems 
to be solved, that it will require the 
very best service that can possibly be 
rendered to save the day. Thousands 
are yet outside the Sunday-school. 
The heathen world cries out most piti- 
fully for our aid, teachers must be 
better trained and the legalized liquor 
traffic must be driven from our 
shores ! how loud is our great Cap- 
tain's call today for an army suffici- 
ently large enough to capture the 
world for Christ ! The times are ripe 
for action. Let us no longer live unto 
self. But let us unite our forces 
whenever and wherever we can do so 
and press the battle unto the very 
gates of the city. 



84 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 
CHAPTER 7. 

Temptations Peculiar to Sunday- 
school Workers. 



A MONG the many failures in Sun- 
-**- day-school work so many of them 
are needless or could have been avoid- 
ed, that we believe it will be of interest 
to here list a number of the most com- 
mon temptations that are spread like 
snares to trap us, hoping that some at 
least may be warned in season and 
avoid the mistakes and failures of the 
past. "VYe do not presume to give a 
complete list of diseases that work 
havoc when allowed to spread. 
Neither have we attempted to sug- 
gest remedies. We simply call atten- 
tion to some of the most dangerous 
ailments, trusting that a word of 
warning will be far more serviceable 
than chapters of suggested cures. Of 
the many temptations that are more 
or less dangerous, we have suggested 
the following "fifty-seven varieties": 
85 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 
Some of the Pastor's Temptations. 

1. To shun the Sunday-school en- 

tirely. 

He has enough else to do, so 
think some, and has not the time 
nor the inclination to interest 
himself in his Sunday-school. 

2. To neglect his pastoral obligations 

to the Sunday-school. 

Some one has said that "the 
pastor is boss of the entire job, 
and the Sunday-school is a 
mighty big part of the job." 

3. To want to dictate. 

The school has rights that are 
sacred and should be respected. 
It will welcome any amount of 
loving advice but will soon resent 
any dictation. 

4. To want to lecture the school. 

A short, snappy address, plan- 
ned to interest the young as well 
as the old, is always valuable, if 
there is time for it. Lectures 
86 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

and sermonettes, however, are 
entirely out of place. 

5. To overlook the spiritual possi- 

bilities of the school. 

The ministers, missionaries, 
deaconesses, as well as church 
officials, of tomorrow are just in 
their training today. What a 
splendid place to drop a word of 
encouragement ! 

6. To overlook the financial possibili- 

ties of the school. 

Missionary offerings, hospital 
collections, relief funds, etc., will 
be large or small just in propor- 
tion as they are emphasized by 
the pastor or his helpers. 

7. To shun teachers' meetings and 

meetings of the Sunday-school 

Board. 

It is the hireling that runs 
away and allows the sheep to be- 
come scattered. The good shep- 
herd knows his sheep and knows 
them constantly. 
87 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

8. To be jealous. 

Sunday-schools are sometimes 
quite large while the minister's 
congregation is quite small. To 
be sure there is a reason. But 
jealousy will not help matters. 

9. To be content with old methods. 

The old methods were good 
enough for the builders of our 
church institutions. New meth- 
ods, to many persons, are very 
dangerous things. 

10. To neglect to keep abreast of the 

times. 

The modern Sunday-school 
movement is making history 
mighty fast. Those who refuse 
to keep up-to-date need not look 
far for the reason if they should 
be counted as out-of-date. 

Temptation Peculiar to the Officers 
of the School. 

11. To begin late. 

Few things deaden interest or 
lower attendance quicker. 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

12. To crowd the lesson period. 

The teacher, at the most, has 
but one-half hour out of each 
three hundred and thirty- six 
(336). Let most any thing else 
be crowded but the lesson period. 

13. To neglect the supply of teachers. 

A class will "combine" with 
another class once in a while, but 
if it becomes a regular thing, 
they will save you the bother 
soon. 

14. To overlook new members. 

It is just as easy to make new 
members want to come back as 
to make them want to stay away 
and far more profitable. 

15. To neglect visitors. 

The reputation of the school is 
always at stake and future visit 
may be few or many according to 
the welcome extended. 

16. To undervalue the temperance 

lesson. 

89 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

The mass of men who are vot- 
ing right today had their convic- 
tions very largely settled in the 
Sunday-school of yesterday. Still 
the school had bnt four short 
half hours in an entire year in 
which to press home this all im- 
portant subject ! Is that any too 
long a time now? 

17. To fail to get the missionary 

vision. 

What about the Sunday-school 
whose offering is invariably 
smaller on Missionary Sunday, 
or that takes no such offering at 
all? 

18. To neglect special days. 

The big folks manage things 
all other days. Why not always 
let the children have their rights 
on Easter, Children's Day, 
Christmas, etc.? 

19. To fail to attend the business 

meetings. 

No great organization can be 
90 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

run successfully without brains 
and business management, and 
the Sunday-school is a great or- 
ganization. 

20. To get discouraged. 

A hearty smile puts new life 
into many a trying situation, but 
a word of discouragement may 
act like poison. 

The Teacher 7 s Temptations. 

21. To want to shirk. 

The Sunday-school teacher's 
job is an enviable one, in the 
sight of the angels. Why should 
any one who is competent to do 
so, refuse to teach! If we re- 
ceived wages here instead of a 
reward hereafter, how would it 
affect the situation! 

22. To neglect preparation for a 

Teacher J s work. 

A thorough course in teacher 
training is in reach of every one 
and at no expense save for text 
91 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

books. Yet how few make any 
perparation for their work as 
teachers? " Jesus trained His 
teachers, and we must do the 



23. To not properly study the lessons. 

What kind of teaching will the 
man or woman do who sees the 
lessons for the first time when 
the lesson helps are distributed 
on Sunday! 

24. To teach the letter and neglect the 

spirit of the lesson. 

God never put many jewels on 
the surface. Usually they are 
well hidden and must be search- 
ed for. But they are well worth 
the search. 

25. To be a slave. 

The questions and suggestions 
in the lesson helps are good, but 
they are only helps. Did you ever 
know the freedom enjoyed by 
those who leave all helps at 
home? 

92 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

26. To get in a rut. 

How often have we done things 
in about the same old way, Sun- 
day after Sunday and year after 
year. Some never vary their 
methods of teaching. Another 
has used an entirely different 
method in presenting each les- 
son in the quarter. In whose 
class will the average fellow want 
to be found! 

27. To scold and find fault. 

The pupil attends Sunday- 
school usually of his own free 
will. A very little unpleasantness 
should be made go a long way, if 
we wish to hold our pupils. 

28. To neglect the pupils social life. 

Young people especially are 
very human, and of course have 
a social side to their lives. The 
teacher who stands high in the 
estimation of her class, is the 
teacher who takes time to plan 
for and engage in the social life 
of her pupils. 
93 



Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

29. To slight the pupils outside of the 

Sunday-school. 

The teacher who "does not 

know" boys and girls when she 

meets them on the street, will 

never learn to know them nor to 

exercise very much influence over 

them anywhere else. 

30. To engage in questionable amuse- 

ments. 

Those teachers who skillfully 
handle a deck of cards or who 
trip over the common dancing 
floor, and that to the knowledge 
of their pupils, had just as well 
save their breath at revival time 
as to talk to those pupils about 
"the clean life" or "doing the 
things Jesus would have us do." 

31. To neglect prayer. 

Our business is to teach the 
Word. Who better can explain 
that Word than he who gave it? 
They who have tarried long at a 
throne of grace have abundant 
store houses from which to draw 
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Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

while teaching the holy scrip- 
tures. 

32. To give up. 

Some classes are trying enough 
and some schools are far from 
properly managed. Yet the 
teacher's work must be done. 
Would we allow Christ's cause to 
suffer, simply because we have 
reached our "juniper tree?" 

33. To be impatient. 

Eesults are not always quickly 
seen in the Sunday-school work. 
Indeed the harvest may be many 
years ahead. But what if the 
reaping is delayed until we per- 
haps — 

"Sleep in solemn silence, 
'Neath the morn and evening 
dew?" 

The seed-sowing must be lovingly 
and patiently done, and the great 
Judge eternal knows best who all 
shall share in the glory when the 
sheaves are garnered at last. 
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Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

34. To be a Christian in name and not 

in experience. 

Far too many Sunday-school 
teachers are counted as Chris- 
tians, simply because they hap- 
pen to have their names on some 
church record, while in their 
hearts they know little or noth- 
ing of the joys of salvation. 

35. To neglect personal work. 

Next to the parent no one can 
possibly exercise so great an 
influence over the lives of 
the young , especially in their 
" 'teens", as the pure, Christian- 
minded teacher. We dare not let 
a single pupil remain in our class 
without speaking earnestly to 
them about their soul's best in- 
terests. Only when we have done 
our very best, dare we give up. 

36. To actually lead an immoral life. 

Just as in every walk of life, 
some are to be found who live a 
double life, so in the Sunday- 
school do we sometimes find those 

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Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

persons attempting to teach the 
pure word of God, whose very 
lives give their teaching the lie. 

37. To be absent without providing a 

substitute. 

A teacher who undertakes the 
work of teaching, is morally- 
bound to do his or her best by 
the class assigned. To run away 
without making any provision 
for a substitute is doing just the 
opposite thing. 

38. To drag strife into official meet- 

ings. To be trouble makers. 

Many persons are not willing 
to think that perhaps the other 
fellow might be right. Some will 
have their own way, no matter 
what comes of it. 

39. To fail to attend conventions and 

institutes. 

Some very bright teachers are 
for ever behind the times, simply 
because they will not embrace the 
opportunities offered them to 
keep up. 

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Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

40. To be content with less than the 

best. 

Many a class, if organized or if 
properly pushed, could double its 
membership and could be in- 
creased in efficiency many fold, 
if the teacher and class would 
never be content, but ever seek- 
ing to do better. 

Temptations of Departmental Super- 
intendents. 

41. To simply hold office. 

Cradle Eoll Departments, 
Home Departments, etc., were 
not created simply to provide 
offices for place seekers. They 
furnish an inviting field for earn- 
est Christian work, — the very 
kind that Jesus liked best to do. 

42. To send instead of taking supplies 

and rememberances. 

Some times we are compelled 

to deny ourselves the joy of a 

personal visit to the homes of 

the people. But as a rule, wf 

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Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

could take time to do the work 
required of us, if we only would 
do so. 

43. To neglect the search for new 

members. 

An annual canvas is not 
enough. At least once a quarter 
we should carefully go over the 
ground and, where helpers are 
appointed, this can readily be 
done. 

44. To fail in making reports. 

The school and local Sunday- 
school organization should have 
fresh statistics at least annually. 
But how often these reports are 
not forthcoming! 

45. To be formal when making a call. 

We are doing just the work 
Jesus delighted to do — visiting 
in the homes of the people. 
that we might talk and pray — 
why not? — as one who has come 
into the home in His stead! 
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Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

46. To undervalue the work assigned. 

We often hear it said "0 just 
any one can look after that de- 
partment.' ' Do you think Jesus 
would pick "just any one'' to 
faithfully look after the work 
that was so dear to Him? 

47. To neglect praying- the Father 1 s 

blessing upon the work in hand. 

No matter how deeply inter- 
ested we may be, the dear heav- 
enly Father is infinitely more in- 
terested. It pays to take Him 
into our confidence. 

48. To want to give up too soon. 

The person who has been care- 
fully over the ground is best suit- 
ed to continue the work. Super- 
intendents in these departments 
might profitably be continued 
from year to year. 

Temptations That Beset the School 
as a Whole. 

49. To simply exist. 

Some Sunday-schools seem to 
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Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

care little for records or results. 
They seem to have gotten into a 
rut years ago and have never 
been able to pull out. 

50. To stick to old methods. 

The cycle method was a very 
good and successful way of gath- 
ering in the harvests of a hun- 
dred years ago. But modern 
methods have come to stay. We 
might just as well get used to 
them. 

51. To be afraid of any thing new. 

The national government seeks 
to encourage new ideas and in- 
ventions by the sale of patent 
rights. Some schools simply ab- 
hor the introduction of any new 
methods. 

52. To use cheap literature. 

It is proper to be prudent in 
all expenditures. But it is just 
as proper that every Sunday- 
school should be furnished with 
the very best lesson helps on the 
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Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

market. Is it not strange that 
the most frequent objection urged 
against the new graded lesson 
system, is the increased cost! 

53. To close up for months at a time. 

Some Sunday-schools close for 
from three to six months out of 
the year because it is too cold 
and the roads get drifted. Some 
close because of the extreme hot 
weather of summer. Still old 
Satan never takes a rest. 

54. To be self centered. 

Some larger schools get mighty 
independent. They will study a 
course in teacher training but re- 
fuse to take an official examina- 
tion. They will not join in with 
the interdenominational organi- 
zation " for local reasons." They 
will not send delegates to conven- 
tions to learn new methods. They 
seem to want nothing better than 
what they already have. 

55. To glory in big numbers and big 

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Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

collections rather than in the 
salvation of the pupils. 
Attendance and collections 
must be looked after. But they 
do not occupy first place. If a 
large percentage of the pupils 
are unsaved, there is gravest 
reason for anxiety, no matter 
how large the attendance or the 
collections. 

56. To fail to make the most of con- 

ventions. 

By sending delegates to the an- 
nual district, county, and state 
conventions, even the most rural 
school may keep well-posted on 
all phases of Sunday-school work. 
The most up-to-date methods are 
usually fully presented at these 
gatherings and that by very able 
speakers. 

57. To avoid supporting boards and 

organizations. 

Many evangelical denomina- 
tions have special Sunday-school 
boards and almost every state 
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Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

and territory has its interdenomi- 
national organization. These are 
a power for good, but that power 
usually extends just about as far 
as the funds contributed to their 
treasuries allows. Some schools 
are very loyal in supporting all 
such movements. Others will be 
richer when they fall in line. 



In our study of the foregoing list 
of temptations, and the many others 
that suggest themselves to us, we 
should interpret them all by the ex- 
pression of Jas. (1-13) "Let no man 
say when he is tempted, 'I am tempt- 
ed of God, ' for God cannot be tempted 
with evil, neither tempth he any 
man." 

Temptations are of the Devil. In- 
deed we call him the Tempter. We 
are exposed to them in every state, in 
every place, and in every time of life. 
Our kind Father may wisely permit 
them, to show us our weakness, to try 
our faith, to humble us, or to teach 
us to place our dependence in Him. 
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Soul T V i nn i n g i n t h e Sunday School 

It is not his good pleasure that we 
should run into them, but that we 
should ever watch and earnestly pray. 
We should avoid even the appearance 
of evil and trust our Father's prom- 
ises always, remembering that "God 
will not suffer us to be tempted above 
what we are able to bear." 

I am well aware that it is not very 
inspiring to read over the above 
"varieties" and call to memory the 
many times and cases in which we 
have found all too many of them to be 
Satan's successful snares. Then, if we 
begin to contemplate the many purely 
personal temptations against which 
the various grades of Sunday-school 
pupils have to contend, we begin to 
appreciate the fact that the battle for 
righteousness is no sham fight. Yet 
it is not bravery to retreat always be- 
fore the battle begins. When we 
have seen our dangers and have pret- 
ty clearly understood them, it is the 
part of sound wisdom to not only per- 
sistently avid them, but to do our best 
to warn others also. 

In our effort to reach out after and 
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Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

bring to Christ the individual mem- 
bers of the Sunday-school, we will do 
well to remember the many snares 
spread by Satan, and in all that we 
attempt for the glory of Christ it is 
sweet to hear Him say to us, "Lo, I 
am with you alway, even unto the 
end." 

CHAPTER 8. 

Christ the Ideal Teacher. 

f~\ F all the important work in the 
^^ Sunday-school the teacher's 
work is the most important. In this 
exalted position are found to-day the 
most favored disciples of the world's 
greatest teacher. The most hopeful 
sign of the times, in religious circles at 
least, is the increased interest in 
teaching the plain, simple gospel to 
the nations of the earth. That we 
may know best how to teach that gos- 
pel, we are more and more striving to 
learn the secret of Him who, when he 
taught the people, " spake as never 
man spake.' ' It is very difficult to 
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Soul Whining in the Sunday School 

find an ideal in any walk or profes- 
sion of life. Yet in the teaching pro- 
fession we are privileged to have the 
Ideal Teacher ever before ns. His 
life we may study and know its power. 
His work may be searched and its 
results seen. His methods are known 
and their efficiency tested. It re- 
mains for us to fix more firmly our 
anchor to this rock, to draw more 
closely to this model, if we would be 
more efficient in our teaching efforts 
of today. 

In our study of Christ as the 
world's one ideal teacher we wish to 
note, first, his ideal preparation. In 
point of knowledge he easily leads the 
world of teachers. He not only pos- 
sessed a thorough book knowledge, 
not only commanded a wealth of gen- 
eral knowledge, but somehow he was 
able to fathom even the thoughts of 
others ! Again he had cultivated and 
perfected the habit of kindness, of 
speaking gently and of holding his 
peace when occasion required! He 
was loving, gentle, patient with all 
under all circumstances. He was 
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Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

able to speak in term's above man's 
wisdom, yet he constantly talked of 
vineyards, harvest fields, sheep folds 
and lilies. In point of royalty he 
stood above the kings of earth, yet 
he stooped to heal the leper, to lift 
the outcast, to bless the little children 
that flocked to his arms. He stood 
pre-eminent in his ability to command 
the multitudes, yet he faithfully coun- 
ciled the individual who sought his ad- 
vice. He could melt a deceitful heart 
with a look. At his touch new life 
came coursing in the pulse of the 
dead. His presence brought peace 
and hope and at his voice the seas 
were calm. 

In the second place we shall note 
his ideal methods of teaching. I do 
not know that he ever saw a work 
on pedagogy, but certain it is that he 
knew the principles of pedagogy by 
heart. Not only did he know them 
but he was skilfull in using them. As 
to the many modern methods of 
teaching, none could really be said to 
be "hobbies" in his hands. Eather he 
was master of all methods and used 
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Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

each and all apparently at the right 
time and in the right place. 

At the age of twelve he had master- 
ed the question method of teaching 
and often used it throughout his 
teaching career. The world has not 
yet answered his inquiry, "What 
shall it profit a man, if he gain the 
whole world, and lose his own soul !" 
"Or what shall a man give in ex- 
change for his soul?" 

Th modern story method of teach- 
ing becomes the parable method in 
his hands, and wise men still marvel 
at his skill at simple story stelling. 
Devout believers still read with sacred 
awe his story of the "Prodigal Son", 
"The Good shepherd", "The Vine 
and the Branches", etc. 

He did not overlook the persuasive 
method in his effort to " seek and save 
that which was lost." With what 
power we still hear him say "Come 
unto me, all ye that labor and are 
heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of 
me ; for I am meek and lowly in heart : 
and ye shall find rest unto your 
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Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

souls. ' ' It did not take much coaxing 
to persuade his followers to cast in 
their lots with the Christ. At his 
simple plea, "Follow me, and I will 
make you fishers of men", they 
gladly left all and followed him. 

The exponents of the lecture 
method of teaching point with pride 
to the Sermon on the Mount as 
Christ's masterpiece of teaching. 
This method he uses more than any 
other form of teaching. All through 
the four gospels he constantly em- 
ploys it and always with power. 

If we consider other methods of 
present day teaching, we find that 
each and all were known to the 
Teacher divine and skilfully used by 
his master mind. Inductive, deduc- 
tive, abstract, concrete, known and 
unknown — these modern terms find 
their highest, noblest examples of 
usage in the four gospels of the New 
Testament. 

We shall now briefly note some of 

the more important results of his 

teaching. Not the least important of 

these results is the statement that 

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Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

"The common people heard him 
gladly/ ' Cities were moved at his 
coming, multitudes follow him and 
hang on his words; even his enemies 
are silenced and "durst not ask him 
any more questions.' • Though his 
enemies succeeded in crucifying him, 
yet the results of his teachings can 
not be nailed to a cross or buried 
from sight. The Christian Church of 
today is a monument to the memory 
of his instruction. The hosts of .be- 
lieving disciples testify of the success 
of his teaching and the New Testa- 
ment is simply a brief account of the 
things which Jesus began both to do 
and to teach. 

Briefly let us sum up the ideal char- 
acteristics and accomplishments of the 
world's greatest Teacher. In voice 
and manner, he was tender and for- 
giving. No harsh words escaped him 
nor did he once grow impatient or 
discouraged. In labor and sacrifice, he 
was faithful even unto the bitter end. 
No journey was too long nor offering 
too costly for him to make. In pa- 
tience and perseverance he stands 
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Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

pre-eminently alone. No harsh treat- 
ment conld cross him nor conld even 
his enemies prevent the accomplish- 
ment of his snblime mission. Again, 
no human being has ever approached 
him in accomplishments. Men have 
attracted world-wide attention for a 
season, but have fallen in a day. 
Still the fame of the Christ lives. 
Men have founded empires that bid 
fair to endure, but they and their 
founder have crumbled in the dust. 
Still the hosts of Christ march on. 
Men have risen from the wilderness 
of obscurity to reign on mighty 
thrones, but death has lain, them low. 
Still the Christ, born in an humble 
manger, reigns on and shall forever 
reign. 

Fellow workers in Christ's vine- 
yard, we may never be ideal in our 
humble service for our Master. But 
Jesus wants us to do our best, and to 
offer him any thing less than our 
best is beneath our dignity and his 
requirements. To attain unto the 
noblest and best service that we 
are capable of rendering him, 
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Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

he bids us follow "in his steps.' ' 
Teachers of the Word, if his voice was 
tender — never harsh — so let ns ever 
speak. If he was gentle towards all 
men — never rude nor impatient — so 
let us deal gently in all our work. If 
he was untiring in his devotion to 
the Father's will — never seeking to 
shun the bitterest cup nor the sharp- 
est thorn — so let us learn to bear 
life's crosses if we would wear 
heaven's crown. 

If we can not possess the knowl- 
edge that the Christ possessed, we 
can study unceasingly his revelation 
of himself and attain new heights of 
learning every day. If we can not 
teach as he taught on the Mount, we 
can tell to others his blessed message 
and hold up to them the pure life that 
Jesus would have them live. If we 
can not draw multitudes and nations 
to our feet, we can reach out after the 
individual as Jesus did at the well 
and in the home of Mary and Martha. 

Faithfulness, not results alone, is 
required of us. And if we sometimes 
are tempted to be discouraged, think 
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Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

of our ideal who set his face stead- 
fastly towards the accomplishment 
of his life's work and dared to brave 
discouragements. A noted temper- 
ance worker recently had this to say 
about discouragements: "When I 
think of the part the tiny snowflake 
lays in furnishing Niagara's mighty 
power, I never get discouraged. I 
say to myself, I am only one, but I am 
one. I can not do much, but I can do 
a little. And what I can do I ought 
to do. And what I ought to do, I will 
do, by God's assisting grace." Just 
so may we learn to find our little 
place in God's great plan and pa- 
tiently learn to prepare the soil or 
sow the grain, willing always to trust 
the yield to a Father's care. The 
plastic clay of childhood awaits the 
potter's hand. Shall they be fash- 
ioned for a place on heaven's throne? 
The hungry, expectant faces of youth 
are upturned to us for guidance. Will 
we suffer them to go astray? World- 
weary and care-worn age seek for the 
source of all comfort. Must they 
wonder in darkness with no hand to 
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Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

point out the way? Surely if we ful- 
fill our mission to all these we must 
be more like our Saviour — like him 
in wisdom; like him in zeal; like him 
in patience, even unto the end. 
the waste on every hand! Waste of 
lives! Waste of happiness! Waste 
of precious souls! Surely we must 
be more devoted, more untiring, more 
intense in our work of rescue or how 
terrible the loss will be! 

And now this parting word. If you 
would do successful, efficient work for 
Jesus ; if you would win many into his 
redeemed and bloodwashed throng, 
try as best you can to imitate his life 
for others. It was for others that he 
left his throne; for others that he 
lived ; for others that he died and rose 
again. And still at God's right hand 
he is pleading now for others. 

Lord, help me live from day to day 

In such a self -forgetful way 
That even when I kneel to pray 

My prayer shall be for others. 

Help me in all the work I do 
To ever be sincere and true, 
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Soul Winning in the Sunday School 

And know that all I'd do for you 
Must needs be done for others. 

Let self be crucified and slain 
And buried deep ; and all in vain 

My efforts be to rise again 
Unless I live for others. 

And when my work on earth is done 
And my new work in heaven's begun, 

May I forget the crown I've won 
"While thinking still of others. 

Others, Lord, yes, others. 

Let this my motto be ; 
Help me to live for others 

That I may live like Thee. 

— C. D. Meigs. 



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